Native People

I created this painting after learning about the indigenous nomadic bands of hunter-gathers who camped in the area where the Salado Creek and Panther Springs Creek converge in Bexar County, Texas, prior to European settlement.
Can you find people gathering Mustang Grapes, harvesting Sotol, cleaning Wild Turkey, caring for a child, weaving Sotol fiber, grinding seeds, preparing a hide, starting a fire, hunting deer and flint knapping.

Included in this painting is information I gathered after classes in ethnobotany; the study of traditions and customs of local indigenous people and their use of plants for food, medicine and shelter. Can you find some favorite foods they gathered? Prickly Pear Cactus pads and fruit (Tuna), Mexican Persimmons, Pecans, Acorns, Sotol, Agarita Fruit, Mesquite Beans, -Texas Mountain Laurel Seeds, toxic, used for ceremonial beads or currency.

Can you identify some of the food they hunted? Rattlesnake, Eastern Cottontail, Redbreast, Wild Turkey, Deer, Redspot and Warmouth Sunfish, Small Mouth Bass, Bank Swallow Bird Eggs and Snails.

I also included some tools and utensils, after research at UTSA, Archeology Department. Woven basket, clay water vessels, prickly pear water tote, leather bags, Whitetail deer antler club, Chert points and other stone tools.